There was ultraconservative play-calling too, along with the typically horrific Denver defense. But on exhibit through the rain and chill Sunday afternoon was a greatness of will, great athleticism and far greater hope that the Broncos will have better days ahead.

Will Tim Tebow be a great NFL quarterback? Only time will tell. Patience will be difficult, though, now that Tebow Time is on the clock.

Amid all the hype, anticipation and criticism that greeted his NFL starting debut, Tebow's performance against the Oakland Raiders provided moments of greatness.

In the Broncos' 39-23 loss to the AFC West-rival Oakland Raiders at the far-from-filled Black Hole, one of the best college football players to apply eye black put on a memorable performance in his first full professional game.

"He's a wonderful athlete," said Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, who was in on the first career sack of Tebow. "And he's definitely a better athlete than I thought he was. You see him running plays in college and you think, ah, he's running past 180-pound guys, and you're thinking, get him up here with the big boys and see what he can do. But he got in there and he was making 230-, 250-pound guys miss."

The NFL has been around for 90 years, and until Tebow came along, only two quarterbacks — the similarly styled Michael Vick (2002) and Kor- dell Stewart (2000) — had rushed for a 40-yard touchdown and thrown for a 30-yard score in the same game.

Tebow pulled off the accomplishment in the first quarter of his first start. How great is that?

"I thought he did OK," Raiders Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. "I thought his footballs were on the money. And I thought he ran well."

It is a rather quiet walk from the locker room for Tim Tebow and the Broncos as they head to the field to begin their game against the Raiders on Sunday.
( Ezra Shaw, Getty Images
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It all began with Tebow huddling his offense deep in Raiders' territory after an interception by Broncos defensive end Kevin "Hands" Vickerson.

Eventually faced with an impossible third-and-24 from the 40, the Broncos discovered nothing is impossible with Tebow.

He took off on a relatively safe quarterback draw.

"Well, um, to be honest," Tebow said, trying to stifle a chuckle at the truth he was about to deliver, "that was a mistake on my part."

Tebow thought it was a "Q" draw, or quarterback draw. That wasn't the call. It was tailback Correll Buckhalter who was supposed to run the draw.

Instead, Buckhalter led a synchronized group of superb blocking. Tebow churned and cut through a huge hole, broke a tackle, then another. He got more blocks downfield, then determinedly carried a Raider defender into the end zone.

Touchdown, Tebow.

"I think his confidence started coming after that run," Asomugha said. "(Raiders receiver) Louis Murphy played with him (at Florida), and he said once he gets a little charge, he's going to be a little more courageous with his play."

On his next possession from the Raiders' 33, Tebow threw a deep, arching pass into the end zone. The ball went right through the hands of Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt and fell into the stomach of Broncos receiver Brandon Lloyd, who was on his rear.

The acrobatic Lloyd not only caught the ball, a replay requested by Broncos interim coach Eric Studesville revealed he kept his derrière inbounds. Touchdown, Tebow.

"That's what he does, creates energy for the entire team," Broncos receiver Jabar Gaffney said. "It's that Tebow factor. He showed that whatever he has to do, he'll do it. He really kept his composure and played real well with what they let him do."

About what he was allowed to do. . . . For all of Tebow's great improvisational skills, he remains an unfinished product. A lefty, he struggles on the short-to-intermediate passes to his right. Given his first hurry-up chance with 1:02 remaining and decent field position in the first half, Tebow instead was given handoff calls.

Backed up at his own goal line twice in the second half, Tebow was not allowed to throw.

"I try to do as well as I can for whatever they ask me to do," Tebow said.

But besides the danger he presents with his legs, Tebow throws well to his strong side and on deep routes to all points down the field.

His passing stats were not great: 8-of-16 for 138 yards and a touchdown. Another TD pass was dropped by running back Lance Ball. Tebow also rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Too bad they won't let Tebow play safety. In two games against the Raiders this year, Denver's D allowed 98 points and 1,010 yards.

On a day when Tebow showed he has greatness in him, the Broncos again revealed it has many other problems as they edged closer to a top- three draft pick. No need to take a first-round quarterback. The Broncos just did that in April.

"I like the guy," Kelly said. "He gets a couple more starts under his belt, he's definitely going to keep D-coordinators up at night. He's got a very bright future."

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